SEATTLE -- Kasey Keller called it “halftime.” With the first of two home matches before the World Cup break safely in the win column, Seattle’s goalkeeper wants his team to stay focused on Thursday’s match against D.C. United.
“Although we are going to enjoy ourselves and fans our going to enjoy themselves, we can’t do this halfway,” Keller said after the Sounder’s resounding 3-0 triumph over New England on Saturday. “We know we have another game on Thursday that we are more than capable of winning. It’s a great way to go into the mini-break: with six points.”
Midfielder Steve Zakuani, who notched one goal and one assist, had said earlier in the week that this was the most important game in his Sounders career.
“We just had to win,” Zakuani said. “We have been saying for awhile that there would be a game where we are going to break out and tonight happened to be that night."
Against New England, Seattle’s attack was bolstered by a reversion to the more familiar 4-4-2 formation --the one the they used for the majority of the 2009 season-- after five lackluster matches in the 4-3-3 set-up.
With Pat Noonan lining up beside Fredy Montero up front, Seattle managed to keep pressure on New England early and often. Noonan also managed to relieve some of the stress on Montero, who played with a physicality that has been lacking in recent matches.
“We felt that by playing a 4-3-3 and having only one striker in the middle --with that oftentimes being Montero--, that we didn’t have enough of a threat there,” head coach Sigi Schmid said.
Schmid also liked the balance that lineup afforded, with Zakuani and Freddie Ljungberg playing on either side of the field.
“I thought Freddie Ljungberg wide right was outstanding, creating numerous opportunities for us,” Schmid said. “As we get used to him there, it will make it easier for us to get him the ball more often in better positions.”
The results were evident. Seattle posted a team-record 19 shots, with Zakuani leading the way with four. After tonight’s victory, Schmid said that he will come out the same way for the D.C. United match, even down to the shirt selection.
“Yeah, I’m just debating right now if I want to launder [the shirts] or not,” Schmid said.
Schmid wasn’t the only person making jokes after the match. Keller threw in a few jabs of his own, as it was clear the win resonated in the Sounders locker room.
Goal-scorer Leo Gonzalez, who notched his first MLS goal, was Keller’s primary target, saying that everyone behind the goal was ducking when Gonzalez got the ball.
After a start to a season that has seen some tough breaks and some poor play, a victory this Thursday against D.C. United would put Seattle at .500 after 13 games.
Schmid thinks the victory is the perfect thing to build on.
“[The win] does an awful lot for morale,” Schmid said. “It’s good to win and also [good] to score some fine goals.”
